Bill-file



(No Model.) v

C.l C. CHAMBI IRLAIN.v

BILL PILE.

No. 550,406. l A Patented Nov. 25. 1895.

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{NO MOBL) 2 Smeets-Sheet;- 2.

0. C. GHAMBERLAIN. 1 BILL FILE.

No. 550,406. Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

W" new@ D02' Z3 K Zzizzr l are peculiarly hinged together.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

CHARLES C. CHAMBERLAIN, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,406, dated November 26, 1895.

' Application filed 'May 25, 1893. Serial No. 475,402. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. CHAMBER- LAIN, a citizen of the United States; residing at Passaic, in the county of Passaic, in the State of New Jersey,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Bill-Files, of which the followingis a speciiication.

I provide what I terni a cabinet or portable case, of thin metal, of the proper size and form to receive three or such other number as maybe required of the smaller cases which belong together. These inner boxes, which I will designate simply as cases, are made of sheetsteel, japanned or otherwise prepared to afford a pleasant surface. Except as otherwise herein shown they may be in all respects as set forth in the patent to me dated June 5, 1888, No. 383,859. Each case is made in two parts. The main body and the cover rIhe main part contains the papers, and when the case is closed the other part serves as a cover to complete the inclosure and protection. The form of the parts and the construction and arrangement of the single hinge are such that when the case is open the cover may serve as a support to hold the main body of the casein a conveniently-inclined position to allow the removal and examination and return of any of the papers. I provide for conveniently and reliably fastening the case in the closed condition, so that it may be safely carried by a hinged handle attached at the front end, yet allowing the lfastening to be operated from the outside by means of a simple slide knob without exposing the interior to dust in either the engaged or the released condition of the fastening.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I vconsider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing three cases properly inclosed in a cabinet. The fastening in this figure is a modiiication. Fig. 2 is a corresponding central longitudinal section. Both these figures showthe closed condition of the case. The succeeding figures show a case or part of a case alone or without the cabinet. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an empty case in the open condition, arranged Fig.

4 is a perspective view showing a case closed. 5 5

Fig. 5 is a corresponding plan view. Figs. 6 to 13, inclusive, are on a larger scale. Fig. 6 is an end view, and Fig. 7 a side view, of a wire prepared to serve as a part of the hinge. Fig. 8 is a side view showing two other wires which serve as other parts of the hinge. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the hinge, showing both wires in dotted lines. Fig. 10 is a section through the fastening-hook and the adjacent parts on the line y y in Fig. 5. Fig. 11 is a detached view of one of the rivets employed in connection with the fastening. Fig. 12 is a face view of the metal as punched to receive my rivet. Fig. 13 is a corresponding cross-section. The remaining iigures showa modification. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the modified case closed. Fig; 15 is a corresponding view showing it open, the body, partly filled with papers, being held in an inclined position and presenting the papers in a condition approximating'that in which they are more'reliably held by the other form. Figs. 16, 17, and 18 represent portions on a larger scale. Fig. 16 is a face view, Fig. 17 a horizontal section, and Fig. 18 a perspective view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 13, inclusive, A is the main body of the case and B the cover thereof, joined by a hinge G GLH H. I will use supernumerals, as A', when necessary to indicate portions of these parts.

D is a swinging hook turning on a center E and operated by a knob D3 playing in a curved slot a in the body A. By turning this hook to the right and left it can engage and release an internal stud'B set in the cover. I form each hook D with wings D D2, which apply on theinside of the slot a and keep it closed. The wing Dperforins an important function when the hook is in the closed position in preventing the entrance of dust through the slot. The wing D2 performs the same duty of excluding dust when the fastening is in the released condition.

I attach importance to the construction of the hinge. In forming the henis along those edges of the parts A and B which are to be IOO hinged together I take care to have in the innermost fold of each hem less breadth, so that there is a space left, which space receives a wire. rIhe hein in the edge of the main body Aincloses the parts G of two wires, each bent to form an eye G at the midlength, and the hem in the cover B incloses the parts II of two wires I'I I'I. All these wires are preferably of high steel, and I obtain sufficient strength and stiffness, using' so slender wires that they do not much increase the thickness or appreciably distort the form of the hems. The hem in the body A has two apertures a/ through which the eyes G are allowed to protrude. In applying the parts together these eyes are received each in the corresponding apertures b in the hem in the cover B, and the part H of one of the wires II I-I is extended through it. These eyes GH in the wires G and the ex tension of the wire II through them constitute these eyes reliable portions of the hinge. The wires II II are doubled or formed around and the parts II extended inward parallel to but at a little distance from the longer parts H. These parts II II are also inclosed within the hem of the part A. It follows that the parts A and B are strongly united, not only at the eyes G but also at the edges. The hinge thus formed allows the parts A B to turn on two centers or axes g g and 7L 7L, separated a sufficient distance to allow for the thickness of the hems-that is to say, the hinge itself turns bodily on a center or axial line g g, extended along the centers of the straight portions G of the wires G G and also along the centers `of the return portions II of the wires II I-I. That line constitutes one axis of the motion. The cover-B also turns on an axial line h h, which extends through the centers of the wires H. Thus the hinge instead of compelling the parts to turn upon a single center allows them to turn on the two centers g g and 7L h, the hinge forming a link having sufficient motion to allow the conditions. The hems prevent the link-hinge from swinging too far.

The cover as formed and connected performs important functions when the case is open by resting on the table or other support and holding the main body A in an inclined position, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This iigure shows the body empty. The modification, Fig. I5, shows how a body appears when partially filled with papers. The papers lie in the same manner in the body in the main form of my cases.

P is a handle attached to the front by eyes,

add appreciably to the space occupied and serves usefully in keeping them together and indicating signiiicantly to the eye if one is missing. It keeps them together in case of moving and contributes much to the preservation of the contents when the cases are exposed to water from an open window or a leaky roof or to the conditions which obtain during and after a fire.

I use a forked rivet, as shown by I I I2 I" in Fig. ll. Instead of asingle hole to receive each rivet, I arrange two, as indicated by o/ o2 in Figs. l2 and I3. rIhe cross-bar left in the sheet metal between these holes is of a width about equal to the space between the forks in the rivet. In securing the rivet I employ a set of proper form to spread the forks. I make the forked rivet for the stud B with an offset or shoulder I2, as shown in Fig. 11, which rests against the sheet metal on the interior of the cover B, and when the rivet is firmly set it aids to hold the head sufiiciently oft' to allow space between such head and the sheet metal to permit the hook I) to be engaged and disengaged with the proper being allowed to remain unremoved between the holes punched for each rivet. Then in the application of my rivet the forks I' I2 are inserted in the two holes o o2 until the solid IOO part of the rivet above the bifurcated part rests on the cross-bar P of the sheet metal, it serves as a stop to prevent the head of the rivet from being set down too close. The rivet will therefore be held with some force in the correct position to allow a hook or other object to play between the head and the metal to which the rivet is secured without requiring any shoulder.

I employboth the rivet of bifurcated form I I2, set in the two holes `o o2 with the lcrossibar P between, and also have the oifset Ia in the body of the rivet resting in an obvious manner on the face of the sheet metal. The rivet is thereby held with increased security. The cross-bar P strengthens the sheet metal adja cent to the hole and enables the rivet to be secured efficiently in very thin material.

I distinguish the several fronts A one from another by giving them different colors and also by labels R of cardboard or the like in serted in holders A' A2, soldered or otherwise attached.

In the modification shown in Figs. 1i and l5, and portions also in Figs. 16, I7, and 18,

the body is not hinged to the cover, but slides within a covering-case like a drawer. It is secured by a turning catch D4, which is operat'ed by a knob D5, 'plL ying in a curved slot a2 in the body. The projecting end of this catch l)4 engages in a slot b2 in the side of the cover. It is engaged like the hook in the other IIO and principal form and similarly closes the slot on the inside.

Further modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I can dispense with the enameling or other surfacing of the parts A or B, or both. Parts of the invention can be used without the whole. I can connect the parts A and B by a hinge at the angle shown, so that the device may serve successfully without the peculiar construction of the hinge turning on two centers. I can have a greater number of the eyes G' and of the corresponding` apertures a' and b'. I prefer the whole as shown.

I claim as my inventionl. In a two-partcase for papers, having sheet metal formed in hems at the adjoining edges, the hinge described composed of the hems having apertures a and b' the wires G inclosed in the hem of the part A, and having eyes G', in combination with the wires H inclosed in the hem of the other part B, the

latter wires having return arts H' inclosedv in the part A, all arranged for joint operation substantially as herein specified.

2. In combination with a case A adapted for storing and exposing papers, a cover B and flexible connection G, G', H, H', the swinging hook D mounted in the interior of the body, and having an operating knob D5, traversing in the curved slot in the body, adapted to be operated from the outside, and wings D', D2, all arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

3. In a case adapted for storing and exposing papers, composed of two parts A, B, the part A carrying a hook D having an operating knob D5 traversing in a slot in such part arranged to be operated from the outside of the-case and wings D', D2, arranged to slide on the inner face ofthe case and cover such slot, so as to defend the contents against dust, and the other part B carrying a stud B' in its interior which is forked and engaged in two holes o', o2, in the sheet metal with a cross bar remaining between them, the two parts constituting a case adapted to hold papers exposed when in the open condition and protected when in the closed condition, all sub stantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the inventionabove set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. C. CHAMBERLAIN. Witnesses:

M. F. BoYLE, H. A. JoHNsToNE. 

